Toothbrush cover device



May 25,1926. 1,586,488

' R. E; TOLLNER TOOTHBHUSH COVER DEVI CE Filed v-July 15 1924 WITNESSES IN VE NTOH A TTRNEYS Patented May 2,5., 1926,. i

,UNITED mmonrn: E. Topman, ,or NEW Xen-x,- n. Y. i

spve-Hanns sovs f Application-medley 15,1?24; eial'NefeSf This invention relatesto a device to be used Jfor covering toothbrushesl when not` muse. l

An object of the invention lis to provide a simple and eicient means whereby a tooth: brush can be covered when not in use so as to protect it from dust, dirt and other elements which might tend rto,impair the quality lof the bristles.

Another object concerns the provision of fimple and efficient means whereby the brush can be kept in a hand-bag or a suitcase in close proximity to other yarticles without any liability of any moisture on the brush dam.-

' aging such other articles.

A'Ai'.further object concerns the provision of simple and eilicient means whereby the cover.l for the brush 1s more or'less perma- V nently attached to the brush itself but,

nevertheless, can be very easily manipulated to uncover the brush for use.

A. still further object concerns the provi-V sion of simple and efficient means whereby.

almost any standard type of brush canv be slightly altered in construction to adapt it tor use in connection with the cover device.

The invention Ais illustrated in the drawin gs, of Whichy Figure 1 is a side elevation of the device showing the toothbrush covered;

Fig. 2 is a side elevation partly in section `showing the covering case withdrawn and latched in the inoperative position; and

Fig. 3 is a section taken on the line 3-3 of Fig. 1.

The form of the invention shown in the drawings is a preferred form, although it is understood that modifications in the con-vy struction and arrangement of the parts and in the character of the materials used may be adopted without departing from the spirit of the invention as set forth in the appended claims.

In its general aspect the invention comprises a toothbrush having a handle. Mounted acts as a cover for the brush bristles, and this cover member or element is adapted to be disposed in ank operative position over the bristles and can be easily moved, pref erably in association with the handle, to an inoperative position, in which position the bristles are uncovered and the brush can be used as in the ordinary manner.

Preferably the cover member is provided with means to engage a portion of the hanon the handle is a member whichr die 01" Slidelel ,msvlaent and latch vmeans are prpvidedto rheld the4 cfoverboth in its operative in its inoperative positions.

The cover member Vcan be easily moved l0` n from the operative to the inoperative vposition, and when 'it isrnoved ,to they inoperative pQStiQn itis 'ntllateally latched in this.

position, from Vwhich position it can f be v The preferred form `of. the inventionv is readily `unlatched. g

shown in the drawings, in which 1 represents the bristles of thebr-ush and vQrepresents the handle.V lThis handle is preferably p'ro vided with lateral'grooves .3 and A; extending aiong the sides thereof. The cover member 5 `in the form o-fa metallic `casing having inwardly pro-jectingfflanges 6 `and 7 which engage in the above-mentioned grooves. This lcover member `isK provided with straps 8 and 9 which extend around the handle to hold the cover 'member c thereon in its sliding movement. The cover member or casing is provided within its rear open end with a partition 10, which is rigid, and a` front wall 11, whichy is pivoted at 12 and is acted on by a spring `13 which tends normally to hold the pivoted Wall 11 in its l closed position.

The handle 2 yat its rear end is provided in its underface, with a spring latch member 14 having a groove 15 in which a notch inthe upper edge of the partition 10` of the cover 5 tends to enga-ge. A stop pin 15a is disposed on the handley at this point and engages with the rear face of the partition 10 to prevent the cover from over-riding the groove 15. The rear end of this latch member is turned up in a ingerv 16 permitting i the'hand of the operator tov disengage the latch member easily.

In the operation of the device, assuming the parts are in the position shown lin Fig.

' 1, it will be observed that it is an easy matter to grasp the cover 5 and move it from the position shown toward the rear end of thev handle 2. As it reaches this end the'partition 10` will engage and move along the inclined Jface of the latch member 14 and will spring intofthe groove 15, the front wall y11 being vheld against lthe handle by springk 12, thus holding thegcover 5 in the retracted position. By reason of the pvoted-disposition of the front end plate or wall 11, this vwillV be moved outwardly to permit it to clear the bristles in this rearward movement of the cover 5.y .In returning the casing to the operative position the front Wall or lid 11 is held open by the hand and the casing moved Yforward after the hand ot' the operator ha` depressed the latch 1K1 by depressing Y the linger 16. As 'soonaS the cover casing 5 gets back to the operative position as a cover the pivoted i'ront Wall or -lid -11 can be released and the spring 13 will ,force it into the position shownin Fig. l, wherein it movesto closed position to substantially enclose the bristles and keep them from Con tact with otherarticles and also prevent dust and dirt from getting in contact therewith.

lt will be noted that with the member 5 in the position illustrated inFigQ, that this cover constitutes'asubstantial and comfortable hand-hold for ready(manipulation of the brush as in service. I

i. A device of the character described, comprisinga handle and brush head, said handleand head having longitudinal grooves in their opposite sides, a. spring latch bar hai'fing a groove and an end releasing linger, said latch set in the under side of said handle adjacent its rear end, a box like open end casing adapted to enclose said brush head andhaving inturnedtop flanges slidably engaging' said longitudinal grooves, a rigid partition mounted Within the rear open end oi the casing and adapted to be engaged by the latch bar to lock the casing on the handle, a. pivote'd front wall or lid at the front end or the casing, a spring mounted on the casingl andbearing against the lid holding;- the saine closed when the casing encloses the brush head7 and urging the lid frictionally against the handle when the casing is in uncovering position, and straps extending around the handle and integral with the casing.

2. The device as set forth in claim l, characterized by a stop pin 'projecting from the. under face or' the brush handle adjacent its rear end and adapted to engage the rear `tace of the partition to prevent the casing` from mferriding` the latch bar Groove.

RUDOLPH TboLLNnR. 

